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No. 6I6,5I5. Patented Dec. 27, I898. T. H. WILLIAMS.

FDLDING STEPS 0R STA IRS FOR LIFT BRIDGES.

(Application filed Jan. 8, 1898.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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I (Application filed Jan. 8, 1898.)

No Model.)

2 Sheets--Sheet 2,

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THOMAS II. VILLIAMS, OF UTIOA, NE\V YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS \VIIEELER, OF SAME PLACE.

FOLDING STEPS OR STAIRS FOR LIFT-BRiDGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,515, dated December 27', 1898.

Application filed January 8, 1898. Serial No. 666.035. (No model.)

T (LZ 1070 i 1/ GOIZOW'II/I is down, as shown in Fig. 2, to enter the pit Be it known that I, THOMAS H. \VILLIAMS, O in the abutment. In order to guide and of Utica, in the county of Oneida and State steady the risers and bridge, there may be of New York, have invented certain new and provided on the lower end of each of the risers 5 useful Improvements in Folding Steps or 2 a roller or wheel 3, adapted to run against Stairs for Lift-Bridges, &c.; and I do hereby a vertical way or track 4 on the side of the declare that the following is a full, clear, and pit. Spanning the pit and suitably located 7 exact description of the invention, which will are a pair of girders 5, which are provided enable others skilled in the art to which it apwith a suitable number of recesses or notches 1o pertains to make and use the same, reference 5 in their upper edges to receive the dependbeing had to the accompanying drawings, and ing portions 6 of the steps or treads 6. These to the letters and figures of reference marked girders 5 are also provided with centers or thereon,which form part of this specification. points 5', adapted to engage in suitable de- Figure 1 shows a side elevation of my impressions on the under side of the step 6 15 proved folding steps or stairs applied to a and center and properly locate the steps raising and lowering bridge with the parts in when they are at rest on the girders. In orthe position which they assume when the der to strengthen and support the outer ends bridge is elevated. Fig. 2 shows the same of the risers 1, particularly where a large with the parts in the position which they asnumber of steps and a considerable length of 2o sume when the bridge is lowered. Fig. 3 riser is employed, I provide a cable 7, which shows a plan view of the device as shown in is secured to the bridge A at 8, preferably by the previous figures, portions of the construcan adjustable fastening device, as an eyebolt tion being broken out in order to exhibit deand screw, as shown, and passed thence untails of the construction. Fig. 4 shows a side der a fixed pulley 9 on one end of the girder 25 elevation of'one of the risers attached to the 5, and thence over a fixed pulley 10 on the bridge in connection with a cross-section of other end of the girder 5 to the lower enter one of the steps or treads and details of slides end of the riser, where it is secured by a suitor movable section of fence or picket work at able means, as an eyebolt and screw 11. To the ends of the steps. Fig. 5 shows details provide a suitable guide and holder for the 0 of the horizontal step-support on which the several steps and also at the same time prosteps rest when the bridge is down, in convide a suitable fence or barrier at either end nection with the cross-section of the step. of the steps, I provide, secured in each step Referring more particularly to the refer- 6, a pair of vertical rods 12 13. This pair of ence letters and figures in a description of the rods may be connected at their upper ends or 35 device, Aindieates a rising-and-falling bridge made to conform to any design and appearsuch as would be used over a canal or any ance with the barriers or fence on the apsimilar place. preaching walk at 14, as well as on the bridge, B indicates the wall or abutment on which if any such are provided, which is the usual the bridge is supported when down in its lowpractice. These vertical rods 12 and 13 on o cred position. each step form slides or ways for guiding the 0 indicates a pit or cavity formed in the movement of the step and preventing its reabutment, while D indicates the fixed pormoral or displacement. The rods 12 and 13 tion or wall of the pit on the rear. on the lower step, as shown, run freely To the end of the bridge A is secured a pair through eyes formed in the fixed portion 15 l 4 5 of fixed risers 1, similar to the risers employed of the walk-barriers and have secured thereto in the stairs and offset, as shown, to form supconnecting-pieces 16 and 17. The piece 17 ports for a suitable number of steps or treads has an eye in one end which slides freely onsimilar to the risers of stairs. On the upper the fixed rod 18, secured on the walk-abutface of each of the offsets or steps there is ment, while the piece 16 has eyes which remo 50 provided a point or center 1, as indicated, ceive the vertical rods 12 and 13 of the next and the risers are adapted when the bridge step, and this construction is carried from step to step until it reaches a fixed rod 19 on the end of the bridge, where the last sliding movement to permit the rise and fall of the steps is provided for, as shown.

The operation of the device is very simple. As the bridge goes up from the position shown in Fig. 2 toward the position shown in Fig. 1 the various offsets on the risers 1 pick up the steps one by one as they are reached,the points or centers 1 entering the depression in the under side of the step provided to receive them and centering and locating the step properly. The rods, as 12 and 13, slide in the guides, and when the complete rise has been made the parts have changed from the posit-ion shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1. lVhen the bridge goes down, the steps, beginning with the lower one, come to rest on the girders 5, whereon they are properly centered and located by the projecting points or centers 5 entering suitable recesses provided therefor in the under side of the step, and the vertical guide-rods 12 and 13 on the step slide in their supports until the bridge assumes the position shown in Fig. 2.

The supporting-cables 7 and the pulleys used in connection therewith may be omitted where a small number of steps only are to be used, and in such case it would probably be advisable to do so.

While the description has been given with reference to the specific use of a lift-bridge, in order to more clearly and satisfactorily describe its operation it is clear that the device is equally useful wherever a similar set of folding steps or stairs is useful or desirable. It is also evident that the end barriers on the steps, and particularly the vertical guides 12 and 13, may be entirely omitted or made single instead of double, as shown. In case these guide-rods 12 and 13 on each step are entirely omitted it would be preferable to much extend or enlarge the points or projec tions 1 on the risers 1 and 5" on the girders 5 even to the extent of projecting somewhat through openings provided in the ends of the steps. It is also evident that the dependent portion 6 of each step may be omitted, likewise the notches or recesses 5" in the upper edge of the girder 5, or the construction may be modified by omitting thev notches or recesses 5 in the girder and providing notches or recesses in the dependent portion 6 of the steps for receiving the girders.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In folding steps, the combination of risin'g-and-falling risers having offsets adapted to support the steps, fixed girders also adapted to support the steps, and the steps, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a vertically-movable riser having an ofiset adapted to support the step, a stationary step-support and a step, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a vertically-movable riser having an offset adapted to sup port a step, a fixed support forthe same step, the step and guides or ways for directing and securing the step, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a rising-and-falling riser adapted to support a step, a step, a fixed support for the step and a supporting device for the projecting end of the riser, consisting of a cable connected at each end of the riser and passing over a pair of intermediate pulleys substantially as shown.

5. 1n folding steps or stairs, the combi nation of rising-and-falling risers having offsets adapted to support the steps, fixed girders also adapted to support the steps and having notches or recesses therein, and the steps having depending portions.

6. Arising-and-fallingstep-support, afixed step-support and a step combined, substan: tially as set forth.

7. A rising-and-falling step-support,a fixed support for the step, a step and guides or ways for securing and directing the step, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of the rising-and-falling risers having oifsets or shoulders for receiving the steps, a stationary or fixed support for receiving and supporting the steps, the steps and slides or guides connected with each step and constituting also a barrier at the end of the step, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 5th day of January, 1898.

THOMAS H. WILLIAMS. lVitn esses:

PHEBE A. TANNER, RICH. A. GEORGE. 

